Today I took the day off! My legs needed some rest, my cloths some cleaning and my blog some updating. On top of that, I was near a very good highlight of Normandy, which is Le Mont Saint Michel. So after I woke up I made my way to the island which is connected just by a thin strip of road. Its surroundings is  either sea or sand, depending on the time of the day and the tide.

Approaching Saint Michel

The last two kilometers on the way were jammed with cars and tourist coaches. Luckily my unloaded bike made its way efforltlessly. When I got in I said WOW! First from the amount of people crammed into the small alleys queueing at the tacky restoraunts, but mostly by the amazing medieval forstress I was getting into.

Mont Saint Michel

The Saint Michel from within. Beautiful, but packed with tourists like my self.

I made my way to the top, but didn’t wait an hour to pay and get into the top castle. I just walked around it, ate the baguette that bought earlier in the day and enjoyed the view.

The view from above.

The endless beach

After my afternoon walk, I bought my next map from the local super market and a couple of bananas and  started making my way back to the campsite. The rest of the day was washing up clothes, maintaining bike and internet to catch up with emails and skype family and friends. In the afternoon I started chatting with a couple that were also on a cycle tour. We ended up having diner together, along with wine and some brandy. Steph and Kit started their tour today from Saint Malo and they are planning to finish it somewhere in East Normandy in about ten days.

Me, Steph and Kit

Anyway… time to bed and I hope those socks are dry by now.

As the tide comes in, it makes the birds fly away.

After my morning shower, I started chatting with a French couple that pitched next to me. In the end they asked me to join them for some breakfast, as they were very well prepared with coffee, tea, croissants, breads, fruit and a lot more. I’d call that grand dejeuner rather than petit, but of course couldn’t complain as I had many kilometers to cycle again.

Lionel, me and Claire having some breakfast in front of the water.

I cycled for about an hour through many coastal towns and in one of them I stopped to buy some supplies for a picnic. This time I rather than buying something ready, I got some bread, tomatoes, cheese and a big chunk of pate which I was looking forward to. Next stop was the nice coastal city of Granville. I found a nice spot by the beach where I had my little picnic.

Pate, cheese, tomatoes and bread by the sea.

You wouldn't like to attempt a jump from that pile when the tide is low.

After my lunch and my usual siesta, I started peddaling again to the south again. On the way I had to climp some of the steapest hills so far. Nothing like big mountains, but the continuing up and down in 32 degrees exausted me a little bit. I have to say though, that pate worked really well. Probable a lot better than any cycling food.=]

This little rock in the distance is Le Mont Sain Michel, where I was heading to.

My plan was to get all the way to Le Mont Saint Michel, but 10km earlier I saw a camp site and gave up. It had wifi and a swimming pool so it seemed ideal. Also today I finished my first map and had to do the last section with a very basic tourist map, so tomorrow I’ll have to find a map for Britany.

About 30km of straight and flat road

My first stop at around midday was at La Haye Du Puit. I was hungry so went for hunting in the local butchers. I was planning to get some pate, some tomatoes and a bread, but when I went in I saw this ready to take away lasagne sand couldn’t resist the convenience. I couldn’t find anywhere appropriate to eat them, so I had them at the main square’s car park, pretending I am looking at the local map.
I was rather full, so I left the town, urgently looking for a siesta hideout. A couple of kilometers later, I saw a sideroad that led to a farm and snoozed on the crass for about half and hour.

Siesta spot

After I recovered my energy, I started pedaling again to the next town Lessay and then Coutance which was my main destination. From there the coast wasn’t that far away and easy to locate a camping. I stayed in the town for a couple of hours for a soft drink and a little wonder around. Apart from the nice cathedral, it has an amazing garden, where two weddings were taking place at the time. As I was caring my bike and an old lady started dragging me to show me the flowers that formed cyclists. I think it was the towns theme, but didn’t understand why.

The cyclist

After I stretched my legs, I continued heading to the coast by the main road again. Just before my final destination though, I decided to take a little detour in order to see the full length of the beach where the river meets the sea. By accident I found a signed rout for bicycles, so I decided to follow it.
It took me through some amazing landscapes full of farms with stacks of compressed crass, cows and sheeps. Then some really nice little villages and the beautiful coast.

Without really expecting it, I saw a municipal camp site in front of me. I stopped and started thinking whether to call it a day and stay there or continue cycing. But with such a view right in front of the water and an amazing sunset at the time the decision was easy to make.

The village behind my ten

My tent and the view

I had a quick half shower, as I realised it needs money to operate and then started looking for something to eat, ideally big and cheap as I was very hungry. There seemed to be only one restaurant near by. I didnt expect it, but it was a rather posh place and felt a little strange on flipflops and a tShirt. In the end I had a 3 course meal and a wine at the cost of 23€, while watching the sun setting and the tyde rissing the waters. Not bad at all for a treat after a 80km ride!

Sunset by the restaurant

Once again I woke up under a cloudy sky and as I was preparing my stuff to depart it started raining. Not much, but just enough to get my tent wet. I packed it anyway, had my banana and started my daily ride, hoping to cover a good distance.
The coastal road was just amazing. The sea on the left, endless farms on the right and the clouds above slowly dissapearing to reveal a nice blue sky and the sun which would help dry my cloths on the bike.
Only a few kilometers on the way and I stoped at the first german bunker, overlooking the sea. It had a few holes on its wall, making it obvious that there was once a big fight there. Continuing down the coast, I saw more and more of similar structures, some deserted, others converted to something useful by locals.

The coastal road, as well as all the near by ones, were dedicated to all the dead soldiers that fought during D-day, so every half a kilometer there was a marking with a name and its rank. A few more kilometers to the south and I got to Utah beach, where the majority of the American troops landed. There was a big memorial, a few tanks, a museum and a very nice beach that French people were enjoying.

I was getting hungry and as I denied to pay for a sandwich at the tourist price, I moved on the the mainland. The first town I met was Ste-Marle Dumont, which was one of the first to be liberated after the invasion. It had a nice church where apparently the soldiers spent a night there and a couple of small museums, one of which I visited.

I then bought a buguette/sandwitch which I straped to the bike and left the town. A couple of kilometers down the road, I found an ideal place to consume it and also unpack the tent and let it dry properly. I tried to have a siesta but it was rather too hot.

The next city on the way was Carentan. By the time I got there, I had only done 30 kilometers and I was feeling like doing a lot more. But unfortunately I hadn’t thought about where to go next and I was debating whether to continue on the D-day beaches on the east or start making my way to the south. I visited the local tourist information office and I found out there aren’t many camp sites in the mainland. I went to the nearby cafe, which had wifi, to think and decide what to do next. I ended up spending three hours in there, which didn’t left me with any other option other than spending the night there. I decided to go south next day, via some dedicated cycle paths.
After I got my internet fix and updated the blog, I went to the local camp site which is the best I’ve been so far and for only 5€ it is a total bargain. As I was trying to choose a spot to pitch the tent, I noticed a couple that I saw earlier in the day on their bikes, preparing their dinner. Without much thinking the girl approached me and invited me to dine with them, which of course I couldn’t turn down. Christof and Stephane are German and started their cycle tour from the west edge of Brittany two weeks ago and they are planning to get to Caen by Sunday. We exchanged experiences over our maps and they gave me loads of tips and advices as they were more experience than me. After we had the noodles they cooked on the spot, we went into to town to have some desert. I already had an ice cream that day and I felt a little bad having that amazing chocolate cake as I only did 30km that day. But I guess I can burn these extra calories the day after.

First morning in France

First wake up in my tent, first wake up in France. I can’t say I slept perfectly, but it’s always the case that it takes a few days to get used to sleeping in the tent. The weather the night before was very nice and warm with zero clouds, but in the middle of the night it got colder and I woke up under a sky full of heavy clouds. It took me a couple of hours to do my things and get ready to get on the bike and as I was leaving the campsite the rain started. Luckily it only lasted 20 minutes, so I didn’t get very wet. Even if I had a banana and that power-bar that guy offered me the day before for breakfast, I couldn’t help my self from jumping into the first bakery buying two freshly made croissants. After that I was on my way to the next town along the coast. The ride was relatively flat with only a few minor up and downs, but with very nice sceneries by the beach and endless fields with vegetables.

Quick pitstop to eat a banana

Barfleur

By midday I was in Barfleur, about 25km away from Cherbourg, which was one of my destinations as I had read it’s a nice little village and it was indeed. I sat in one of the fish restaurants by the little harbor and had some sardines for lunch.

Nice lunch

After a short siesta on one of the benches by the harbor, I was on the road again following the coastline, but south this time. I kind of like when the compass is pointing south, as I know Athens is somewhere there.

Crowd going to the music festival

On the way, I passed by a coastal town called St. Vaast-la-Hougue, where I was very surprised with the spectacle I saw. Opposite the town there is a little island with a fort and a museum. Once a day, this island gets connected with the mainland because of the tide, extending the beach by a couple of kilometers. The revealed bottom of the sea, was covered in oyster beds and people. Some of them were collecting oysters by hand, but most of them were heading to the island on foot, almost like marching. Apparently a music festival was taking place on the island, so all the visitors were able to just walk there. On their way back in the night after the waters cover the beach, they will have to get wet up to the waist. A bit strange, but fun as a local told me. I kind of liked the vibe of the town and I was thinking to spend the night there, but since I only had done 40km by then and it was still 4pm, I thought I should keep cycling for another 10-20 km to the next village, so I can devote the entire tomorrow on the D-day Utah beach.

On the way, many of the fields were populated with big cows. Thinking about the history of the place, I started remembering all these combat scenes we’ve seen on D-day related films and computer games, with parachuters fighting withing dead cows. I also did see my first German bunker in one of the fields, but there didn’t seem to be any access to approach it. A few more kilometers and I got to my destination which was Quineville, which is a rather small village with a very long and wide beach, ideal for surfing, kite boarding, horse riding and Europe invasions. Without any effort at all, I bumped into a campsite, where I decided to spend the night. It was a little bit basic but for only 5 euros I couldn’t really complain.

The Beach by the camp site

After I pitched the tent and I had a shower, I went around the beach, show the war memorials and then looked for something to eat. I had a greasy kebab and a beer. Then off to the tent for an early night in.

Me and Mauricio.

I woke up early again and Mauricio sorted me out with some super duper breakfast to keep me going for the next 3000km. After some final good buys and photos, I left his house and his killer dog at around 7:15am to catch the train to Poole for the ferry.

After spending the past couple of weeks panicking to arrange so many things,  it was only when I saw England from the deck that I started thinking about what I was doing. Looking at the sky, there was an airliner heading somewhere south and I though that it may probable get to Athens before I even get to France. Why did I not choose the more convenient way? That was it though, after the ferry raised its ramps, the only home was to cycle there.

Goodbuy England!

The four hours in the ferry passed by very pleasantly. I watched England disappearing in the horizon and France slowly emerging from the other side. In the meantime, I listened the ‘In-flight French’ mp3 to try and remember some of the basics, in order to survive in the wilds of Europe. I also watched a magician/comedian entertaining the children in the ferry. At some point someone approached me and we started chatting about my cycling plans. Then he said that he cycles as well and also has a company called MuleBar that makes cycling food. So he offered me a power bar, which I am saving for tomorrow morning.

French kid getting ready for the invasion.

And here I go...

I got in Cherbourg at 2:45pm local time and initially I felt a little bit spaced out, without knowing what to do first and where to go. The initial plan was to Cycle to Barfleur as I’ve heard is a very nice village. Then I though, I should better stay in the comforts of the town just for a day, to buy a few things and start getting used to the new country. So first thing I bought a French SIM card, so people like you can call me anytime and ask me how I am doing. The number is +33648572817
I got hungry so I bought half a meter of baguette. Then I couldn’t help my self thinking about my broken charger, so I got into the mission to try and find a new one. That day I cycled about 25km. I even went 10km outside the town, uphill under the hot sun, not to see the scenery but to locate that mega computer store and beg for my fix. They didn’t have it! I got very desperate and hated my self for carrying a computer in such a tour, which was now just a dead brick of weight in my panniers. After visiting 5 different stores, my last attempt was a big supermarket just opposite. And YES they did have it, so I bought it along with some bananas and toilet paper. What a relief! I rolled happily downhill very fast back to the town, aiming for the camp site that I got directions for in the tourist office earlier. I put my tent for the first time and went for some food in the kiosk by the beach. Unfortunately they just stopped serving food and the only thing they could offer me was yet another baguette with cheese and ham, so that what I had for dinner, along with a cold glass of beer.
That’s it… time to get some rest for tomorrow’s longer and more meaningful ride.

My portable home

Sunset by the campsite